


Just Can't Forget You

by AllyUnabridged



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M, Romance, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:55:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26261500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllyUnabridged/pseuds/AllyUnabridged
Summary: Usagi and Mamoru reconnect after a six-year absence. With a little nudge from Minako, will true feelings be revealed?
Relationships: Chiba Mamoru/Tsukino Usagi
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48
Collections: Smutember 2020, Smutember 2020 Sailor Moon Fandom





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> And so Smutember begins. I know that I still have Something Old, Something New to work on-trust me, I've been outlining it like crazy this past month or so trying to get all the pieces to play nicely together, so there is progress. Just not actual writing yet because suddenly, it was time for this! Welcome to Week 1. The theme I chose was Second Chance. I hope by the time you're finished, you'll see how many ways this story really is a second chance for Usagi and Mamoru.
> 
> Big hugs and thanks go out to Ninjette-Twitch, who kindly betaed this for me while also in the middle of writing her own Smutember stories. (BTW, her week 1 is written-you should totally go read it!) She's currently pushing me on Chapter 2 so that she can read-I mean, so that it will be in good shape to post, so you should get that before the end of the week.
> 
> Please remember, reviews are love for authors. I would dearly enjoy hearing what you think of this new story!

The setting sun gilded the crowded streets as Tsukino Usagi dashed between her fellow pedestrians, blonde hair streaming in two tails behind her, pale pink purse banging against her hip. An expert at navigating Tokyo foot traffic at high speeds at this point in her life, she dodged left and right and left again, barely needing to murmur apologies. Usually, these days she tried to be a bit more sedate and grown up, but this was important.

As Usagi neared the building where she'd spent her free time the past few weeks helping to paint, wallpaper, clean, and arrange furniture, she slowed and tried to catch her breath. Her hands flew up to smooth out the twin buns on either side of her head, tucking a few stray strands back into their pins. She hoped her make-up wasn't too smudged. At least she'd had time to slip in her after-work earrings, dangly gold things with crescent moons on the ends that she'd fallen in love with years ago. Her work clothes of a tailored pink button-up blouse and gray skirt should be nice enough, at least, along with the adorable pink kitten heels she'd found on sale just last week.

The front of the restaurant glowed golden in the early evening. Through the windows, Usagi could make out at least a dozen bodies, all crammed together to celebrate the grand opening of Tempura Furuhata. She grinned and hurried toward the entrance. Just as her hand closed around the brass handle, she caught sight of one particular guest and froze, smile faltering.

Her eyes traced over him, taking in the differences six years had made. Still lean, his shoulders were broader than she remembered, filling out the crisp midnight blue shirt he wore. His straight black hair spilled over his eyes like it always had, shading them from curious observers. Those cheekbones and jawline were as lethal as they'd ever been.

Usagi dragged in a deep breath and fought the urge to run. He shouldn't be here now. Why hadn't Motoki or Makoto said anything, dammit?

Plastering an even wider smile on reluctant lips, she pulled the door open and stepped into the restaurant, causing the little bell she'd installed yesterday to merrily announce her presence. All talking stopped for a moment. Then Makoto rushed forward, green eyes sparkling and hands outstretched.

"Usa! You made it!"

"Of course I did. I wouldn't miss today for anything! Sorry, work kept me longer than I meant it to," Usagi whispered that last part in Makoto's ear as she embraced her friend, standing on tiptoe to do so.

Makoto squeezed her back. "Don't worry about it. I'm just happy you're here now."

"Took you long enough to get here, Odango." The voice of one of her other best friends rang across the room, causing Usagi to see red for a moment. She whirled out of Makoto's arms to face Rei, blonde hair a swirling storm around her.

"Not fair, Rei!" she shouted, hands on her hips.

"Yeah. You know Usagi was probably hard at work drooling over the latest manga, Rei. Leave her alone!"

Usagi rolled her eyes at this less than helpful defense. She shot a glare over her shoulder. "Thanks, Minako."

"Any time!" the other blonde said, waving a breezy hand and winking.

"I did have some edits I had to finish," Usagi admitted to Makoto, who laughed, tossing her trademark auburn ponytail over her shoulder. Usagi thought she looked amazing in a floral pink and green dress, her cheeks bright from excitement and happiness.

"Hey, deadlines are deadlines. I'm guessing you're hungry, though, if you were deep in that. Did you remember to eat lunch?" Makoto fussed, pulling her toward the long buffet set up where tables would normally be.

As Usagi began to load up the black stoneware plate Makoto thrust at her, she risked sneaking a peek toward the front of the restaurant. To the area she'd deliberately ignored from the very first second she'd entered. Her eyes instantly found the dark blue gaze fixed on her, and she fought hard not to blush. She forced herself to scan the rest of the room as if that had been her sole purpose in the first place.

Things had changed in six years, she reminded herself. _She_ had changed, had grown up. She was no longer the clumsy, crybaby teen she once was. She even had a two-year design degree under her belt as well as two years at a job she loved.

With that in mind, Usagi moved away from the buffet and began to mingle. She avoided Rei to punish her for the earlier comment. Another quick glance showed her fourth best friend, Ami, deep in conversation with Motoki and the object of Usagi's avoidance. So, she latched on to some of Motoki's friends, a sweet couple she had met a few times at other gatherings.

Makoto's delicious tempura disappeared into her stomach almost magically as Usagi chatted about work and the weather, unseasonably warm lately. All safe topics, ones that steered clear of teenage obsession or heartbreak. Her nerves, strung tight, began to loosen a bit. She could do this.

Once her plate was empty, Usagi excused herself. Although she could have left it on the stack of dirty dishes the other guests had started, she decided to settle it on top and take the whole thing to the back to give herself even more time to settle. She picked up the small tower of plates, balancing them carefully as her high school job as a waitress had taught her, and gently pushed through the few people standing between her and safety. The red swinging door was no obstacle, she was so familiar with it, and then she was in the quiet safety of the brightly lit kitchen, Makoto's pride and joy.

Usagi moved to the sink and began to set the stack of plates on the stainless steel countertop. The deep voice behind her caused her to almost drop them instead of the steady descent she had planned.

"Hiding, Odango Atama?"

The dishes clinked together as her breath hissed out from between her lips. Stomach clenching, Usagi briefly regretted eating so much tempura.

"Not at all. And that's still not my name," she answered, keeping her back to him to hide her warm cheeks. "Just trying to help Mako out. She should be out there enjoying her triumph, not worrying about picking up after us."

"The restaurant looks beautiful, and the food is amazing. Makoto and Motoki have every right to be proud of what they've accomplished. I'm sure it'll be a success."

Usagi half turned, still not looking at him. "It will be. I know it. They've put too much of themselves into it for this not to work out."

Out of the corner of her eye, Usagi watched him stuff his hands in his pockets. She cursed internally because he just stayed there, between her and the rest of his party. What was he thinking, anyway? Before he left, he never deliberately sought her out. That wasn't their thing.

"You're probably right."

The silence between them stretched out. Usagi felt her mouth go dry. She dumped her purse next to the stack of dishes and rummaged among the metal shelves on the other side of the sink, seeking out the mug she'd left the day before. She needed to take it home anyway. Her fingers closed around the pink handle and she drew it out, moving over to the sink again to fill it with water.

The cup was halfway to her lips when he spoke again.

"It's good to see you again, Usagi. You've grown up."

So she'd been reminding herself. She spun around mid-sip, eying him from behind the safety of her mug. After swallowing the cool liquid, she felt capable of speech again.

"You haven't changed much at all, Mamoru. I expected gray hair if I ever saw you again," she teased, trying for a lighthearted grin but not sure if she managed it.

He grimaced, and her heart dropped along with her smile. That was so stupid. Why had she said it? First, it made it sound as if she thought about him while he was gone. Which she had, often. But she didn't want him to know that. Second, she basically called him an old man. And even with a six-year age difference, he definitely wasn't that. The years between them seemed even less important now than they had at sixteen when she'd been a silly girl with hearts in her eyes she hadn't known how to hide.

She tried to recover by downing the rest of her water with a few long gulps. The empty mug went into the sink with a clank that echoed loudly in her ears. She'd come back for it another day.

"We should get back out to the party. I haven't had a chance to congratulate Motoki yet." She braced herself to move past him and back out the red door.

To her surprise, he caught her arm gently. She finally found the courage to look fully at him, sky blue eyes clashing with dark blue. Her skin felt warmer where his hand wrapped around it, although a layer of smooth cotton separated them.

"It's good to see you again."

There was something so earnest in his voice, Usagi could almost forget her embarrassment of six years ago. Almost.

"You, too. I, uh, didn't realize you were coming back. Motoki didn't mention it."

Mamoru shrugged, still holding her captive. "It was undecided until last week, and I didn't tell him until I already landed and settled in."

Usagi licked her lips. "So you're staying here, in Japan?"

Great, now she sounded like an idiot. He was going to think she was just as brainless as she'd been as a teenager.

His eyes glinted as he inclined his head. "I am."

Usagi pulled away, backing toward the door. "Well, good then. I know Motoki has missed you."

His eyebrows rose as he let her go. "I missed him, too."

Was she the only one thinking that maybe they were both saying one thing and meaning another? Or maybe was that just hope left over from countless nights spent in odd dreams of dancing in his arms—among other things.

She kept backing slowly toward the door, not paying attention to where she was going. So the creak of the door before she touched it didn't even register before she was suddenly pulled towards Mamoru again, this time landing fully in his arms, her cheek pressed against his firm chest.

"Oh! Usagi! Mamoru?" Motoki's confused voice filled her ears, and silently Usagi cursed, even as she peeked out from under her bangs to look at the other man.

"You almost cracked her head open with the door, Motoki," Mamoru said in the dry tone she was so used to from him.

Of course. He'd merely saved her from a concussion. Blushing, Usagi moved away from him once more, and his arms dropped from around her.

"Thanks for the rescue, Mamoru. Hi, Motoki. Great party. Mako's food tastes amazing as always. I'm just going to go say hi to Ami and Rei. It's been a few weeks. Later!" She didn't care if she was babbling or rude. She bolted out of the kitchen and through the crowd, sure her cheeks must be on fire.

"Usa? Are you okay?"

Usagi looked up into a too-perceptive violet gaze. Rei stood just steps away, hand on one hip and looking elegant as always in a clingy red dress. She stepped toward Usagi, took her hands in hers, and began to chafe them a little as if she thought Usagi was too cold.

"Yeah, Usa, you look a little off. Is everything okay?" Minako piped up from next to Rei, appearing in a flurry of orange, red, and gold that should have clashed but didn't because Minako could pull off pretty much anything.

"I'm fine," Usagi tried to reassure them, looking over her shoulder distractedly.

Mamoru and Motoki chose that moment to come out from the kitchen. Both looked good, but Usagi had eyes only for Mamoru. With a sigh she dragged her eyes away, back to her friends. Apparently they'd seen what direction she'd come from and put two and two together because suddenly they hustled her into the corner of the restaurant farthest from the kitchen, heads leaning close to hers, eyes full of understanding.

"Have you talked to Mamoru yet?" Minako asked, reassuringly rubbing one of Usagi's hands between hers.

"A little. We said hello."

"That's what has you so worked up?" Rei snorted but kept her hand on Usagi's shoulder all the same.

"I know I'm being stupid, Rei. I haven't seen the man in six years. I should be totally over, well, any little crush I had on him."

Minako shot Rei a look and shook her head. "It's fine, Usa. Do you know how long he's staying?"

"I think, maybe, for good? Like he's really back." Usagi felt the blood rush from her cheeks at the thought. She wasn't ready for possible chance encounters with the man she somehow hadn't gone a day without seeing between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, before he decided to study medicine outside of the country.

"That could be interesting." Minako grinned and winked at Rei, who scowled.

"Is that all you ever think about?" She shook her head. "Look, Usa, everything will be fine. He didn't even know you had a crush on him, right?"

Usagi felt even more lightheaded at the question. "Um, well, see…"

"You never told us that you said something to him!" Minako hissed, looking over her shoulder as if checking Mamoru's location—something Usagi had already been aware of from the moment he stepped back into the room. Thankfully he had stayed near the kitchen talking with Motoki and the couple Usagi had chatted with earlier.

"I—well, I was young. And being very silly, okay? I didn't tell him I loved him or anything!" A strangled, high-pitched giggle tore through Usagi, causing Ami and Makoto to look their way as well and frown in concern. They began to move towards the other three.

"I only told him I liked him. That I thought he was cute," Usagi muttered in a rush as Makoto and Ami stepped up.

"Oh, is she talking about Mamoru again?" Makoto asked, a relieved smile blossoming on her generous mouth.

"Shhh!" Minako warned. Then she glared at Usagi. "You told Makoto and not us?"

"I didn't tell any of you. Makoto just has more opportunity to hear me asking Motoki about Mamoru," Usagi shot back with a shrug, referring to Makoto's two-year relationship.

"What did Mamoru say when you said you liked him? I'm assuming you're referring to the time before he left for America," Ami inserted calmly, ever the one to cut to the heart of a matter. Her eyes pierced Usagi's as she tucked a short strand of blue hair behind one ear, a habit that told Usagi she had her entire concentration.

Usagi nodded and frowned. "He laughed and said I was sweet, but too young for him."

The other four winced, even Ami. Usagi appreciated the support. At the time, she'd been devastated. Looking back, though, he was right. She was far too young for him then. That didn't make the episode any less humiliating, of course.

"But you kept asking about him after he left," Makoto pointed out in a loud whisper.

With a shrug, Usagi sighed. "Well, just because he said that didn't mean I stopped having feelings for him."

"Poor Usa," Minako murmured, always so sensitive to matters of the heart.

Usagi flashed a bright smile at her friends. "It's fine, really! And now we've got the awkward hellos out of the way. Everything else is a piece of cake, right?"

They murmured reassurances that didn't sound entirely sincere to her, but she let it slide. Instead, she changed the subject to one much more innocuous: Ami's classes. The only one of them still in university and about to begin medical school, she happily babbled about her expectations for the coming year, blue eyes bright, hands alternating between smoothing down her pale blue skirt and clasping in front of her, while her friends smiled indulgently and asked questions like if she planned to move out of her mother's apartment now or if she'd decided which hospital to take her residency year at.

Usagi's eyes and thoughts wandered, although she tried to pay attention for Ami's sake. But really, what was she supposed to do when Mamoru was within sight? It wasn't like she'd ever had any self-control where he was concerned. Not when she'd teased him, not when she'd argued with him, and certainly not after she realized she might be in love with him.

Of course, it was never that serious. It never had the opportunity to be. One day she was telling him she liked and admired him. A week later, he was gone.

Now she examined him as covertly as possible. She drank in his profile as he talked with Motoki. Her first impression through the window and their encounter in the kitchen hadn't been nearly enough. She wanted to go up to him and memorize every change to the face that still haunted her dreams. Of course, that would probably creep him out, she mused.

"Usa? Usagi?"

Usagi reluctantly pulled her attention from Mamoru-gazing. Her gaze swung over to Makoto, an embarrassed flush staining her cheeks. Thankfully, all four of her friends just gave her knowing grins.

"Maybe you're not entirely over him, Usagi," Ami surprised her by saying.

"Yeah, how many dates have you been on since high school? And none of them ever worked out. There was always some excuse," Minako teased.

Usagi blushed. "My bad luck with guys started with him. I doubt he's the answer," she muttered.

"Well, don't look now, but your 'not the answer' is headed this way," Makoto told her.

"Mako! Don't be obvious!" Usagi hissed, barely resisting the urge to cause more of a scene by dragging her friend back into facing their little circle.

"I can look at my own boyfriend, Usa! And he's with him!" Makoto growled back, rolling her eyes.

They didn't have a chance to continue the argument. Mamoru and Motoki reached them, the former with his trademark intense, serious expression and the latter all smiles.

"How do you like the restaurant, ladies?" Motoki asked with a grin as he slid in next to Makoto, taking her hand in his. Of course he already knew. They'd all been in to help set it up at one point or another over the past weeks, although sadly not much as a group.

Minako rapped her chin and sighed. "Hmm, I don't know, Motoki. I think maybe the lights were the wrong choice," she commented, looking up at the dangling mini chandeliers.

His face turned red from both frustration and laughter while the women all giggled. "If you change your mind on the lights one more time, Minako..." he warned, wagging a finger at her. It was an almost constant refrain for over two months during the initial design phrase.

Usagi noticed Mamoru standing to the side, a frown in his eyes as he watched their interactions. She caught his gaze, offered a smile, and moved over, gesturing for him to join the circle between her and Minako. His frown lightened as he made the few steps to take up the empty space. Usagi gloated a bit inside because he was fractionally closer to her than to Minako. Not that it mattered, of course.

"So, the prodigal nephew returns," Minako said, sliding a wicked glance between Usagi and then Mamoru. She flicked elegant fingers at Ami's whispered, "Son, Minako!"

Mamoru tilted his head forward, hair shading his eyes so that Usagi couldn't quite make out the expression in them. "It was time."

That was the type of interaction she expected from him. Short, to the point. Not the odd conversation they shared in the kitchen. Of course, Minako being Minako, she couldn't let it go.

The other blonde tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrows. "And what made it time?"

Even Usagi, who often spoke before she thought, thought Minako had gone too deep with that question.

"Minako!" she hissed, glaring, along with the other three women.

To her surprise, Mamoru chuckled a little. "It's okay. There just wasn't anything holding me in America, and I finally realized it."

"And do you hope to find something to hold you here?" Minako's time could almost have been called flirtatious, but Usagi knew it well. She wished she could growl and stomp on her friend's foot in warning, but that was a little difficult with Mamoru standing between them, seeming oblivious of Usagi's discomfort.

Did she imagine it, or did his eyes flicker towards her as he shuffled his feet before answering? "I'm not sure…"

"Minako's just teasing you," Rei came into the rescue, to Usagi's relief. And Mamoru's too, if she was any judge.

"Hey, can't fault a girl for being curious when a tall, dark, and handsome acquaintance returns after years abroad." Minako shrugged and laughed. "Have you had a chance to look around at the changes the district has gone through since you left?"

Mamoru shook his head. "No. I flew in two days ago and slept the rest of the day. It was a long trip. Then I spent the last two days adjusting and running errands."

Usagi didn't trust the sparkle in Minako's eyes one bit.

"Well, there are definitely quite a few changes." She examined her gold-painted nails. "Sadly, I'm busy all weekend or I would suggest a group outing. Plus I know Motoki and Makoto will be slammed because this place is so awesome."

"Ah, that's okay, I'll just—"

Minako waved her hand and interrupted him. "No, no, there are a few duds, too. You need to know the places to avoid! Let's see." She tapped a finger against her chin.

"I have classes anyway, Minako," Ami reminded the group. "So I wouldn't have been able to join an excursion."

"True! I forgot about those."

"And I promised Grandpa I would mind the temple this weekend so he could go to a retreat." The hidden laughter in her best friend's voice caused Usagi's eyes to shoot to Rei. Those violet eyes glimmered back at her with a hidden—or not so hidden—message, and Usagi's stomach clenched again.

"Oh, damn, I forgot about that, too!" Minako's voice dripped honey sweet, and Usagi's gaze swung back to her, trying to communicate with widened eyes that Minako refused to completely meet.

"I don't think Usagi is busy this weekend. Are you, Usa? No plans I'm forgetting about for you?"

Usagi's mouth had become a desert once more. "Well, no." She couldn't force more words out from between frozen lips.

Minako's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Perfect!" she purred. "Then Usagi can help you get reacquainted with Azabujuban, Mamoru!"

Usagi wasn't sure she was breathing anymore. From the warmth of her cheeks, she was pretty sure she was lit up brighter than the Tokyo Tower. The world seemed to slow down as Mamoru turned towards her. She expected to see panic or disdain in his eyes—they were the two expressions she could remember most, after all, even if eventually even he had thawed towards her. Instead, she found herself drowning in warmth that wrapped her up like arms holding her close. Like his arms had earlier.

"If you have time, I would appreciate it."

The low words, the genuine smile he gave her, caused her heart to start beating again and the air in her lungs to woosh out in a small gasp. She found her own lips curving in return.

"Sure."

She could have stared at him the rest of the night if Minako clearing her throat hadn't broken the spell. Her eyes snapped to Minako, her blush somehow intensifying to the heat of a thousand suns. He was going to think she was as silly as she'd been when she was sixteen!

"Why don't you give Mamoru your Line code, Usa, so you two can plan your weekend," Minako said, her eyes telegraphing a message Usagi was a bit too dazed to take in.

"Um, yeah…" Usagi watched Mamoru take his phone from his pocket and unlock it. He looked at her expectantly, and in a slightly robotic manner, she fumbled with her phone to open her Line messaging app. She brought up her QR code and he scanned it; then he offered the same to her. She saved him in her contacts, forgoing her usual avatars and stickers because she didn't know what to use in this case.

As soon as Usagi looked up, Rei changed the topic to upcoming summer blockbusters, much to her relief. And Usagi knew it was solely for her benefit. Rei was more an indie film type and often ranted about the violence and sexism found in blockbuster movies, something which would always draw Makoto into an argument. This time she was more than civil, though, whether out of concern for Makoto's anxiety levels or to keep the peace with so many other guests, Usagi wasn't sure.

She didn't have much input into this topic herself, at least not for any of the current soon-to-be-released batch of movies. That was a good thing because the heat she felt radiating from her right was far too distracting to form coherent sentences. Maybe she was imagining it, but it felt as if every millimeter of skin on that side of her body was electrified because of his presence. She had no idea how she was going to survive this tour that Minako had roped her into giving him.

Eventually their large group split, some to get food more, others to mingle. Usagi was one of the former since she hadn't tried any of the desserts yet, and Makoto had been right. Somehow, she'd forgotten lunch yet again. It happened sometimes, usually on her busiest days, something she never would have thought possible as a teenager. But she always regretted it, just as she did now.

Usagi chose a delicate chocolate pastry, the kind she knew Makoto liked to fill with flavored cream. She admired the elaborate rose on top as she wandered a bit away from the table. It was almost too pretty to eat!

"Are you ever going to bite into that thing?"

The voice behind her made her jump.

"Of course! But it's so pretty; I feel bad."

Mamoru came around to stand in front of her. "Never thought I'd see the day you didn't devour chocolate on sight."

Maybe she wouldn't have to worry about surviving tomorrow if he kept talking like that. She might not let _him_ survive that long!

"A lot has changed since you've been gone," she said pertly, nose up in the air. It was worth waiting a few more seconds to shove the thing in her mouth just to prove him wrong.

His eyes took on an unfamiliar glint. To her amazement, he swept her from head to toe, so slowly it made her stomach clench.

"Yeah, I can tell."

Was Mamoru flirting with her? Her?! There was no way. He was just trying to go back to their old trading game, she assured herself. That didn't stop the blush that stained her cheeks yet again. At this rate, she might as well not have bothered with makeup at all that day!

Forgetting her resolve, Usagi shoved half of the pastry in her mouth to stop herself from blurting out the question. The look in his eyes changed to one she was much more comfortable with—amusement. He smirked at her, that smug half-grin that had always done strange things to her insides.

"But maybe not everything," he said, taking a bite of his own chocolate pastry, the one she only just noticed he held.

Eyes narrowed, she stared him down as she continued to chew, barely noticing the delectable flavor of dark chocolate mixed with raspberries that burst on her tongue. Swallowing that much food was difficult to do, but she managed without gagging, thankfully. That would have ruined the mask of righteous anger she wanted to project even as the laughter in his eyes inexplicably made her want to giggle.

Each of her bites after that was a nibble, followed directly by Mamoru taking a bite of his own pastry. They continued eating and staring at each other, and in the hazy back of her mind she wondered if this was the world's strangest staring contest and how in the world it had even started. By her last bite, he had caught up. Their chewing slowed, as if they were trying to see who could hold out and finish last.

To counter the flash of triumph in his eyes when finally she let the last of the chocolate slide down her throat while he still chewed, she lifted her slightly sticky fingers and began to lick melted chocolate off each digit, one by one. She wanted to grin in satisfaction when his eyes darkened and he seemed to choke a bit on his last swallow, but she restrained herself. She wasn't sure exactly where this was coming from, but it was fun.

All thoughts of smiling were wiped out of her mind when he lifted his own hand and returned the favor, curling his tongue along his skin in a way that made her breath stop yet again. That triumphant look was back in his eyes but darker, swirling with emotions she didn't understand.

"You have a bit of rose here."

His other hand lifted, and his thumb brushed the skin right next to her mouth, pressing ever so slightly. A tingle passed along her cheek and down her neck, ending in a shiver she barely managed to suppress. When his hand pulled away, she saw a piece from the rose decoration resting on his thumb before he flicked it away.

"Thanks," Usagi managed to gasp out.

"I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I thought I was going to be bored all weekend cooped up in my apartment."

Usagi struggled to regulate her breathing and remember how to talk like a functioning adult. "Did, um, did you keep the place you had before you left?"

Mamoru nodded. "I own it; it was easy to rent it out while I was gone, although the last tenant left months ago."

Normal conversation was helping her equilibrium. "No shortage of people looking to rent in the city."

"No, there's not. But I was considering moving back and didn't want to start renting it out before I made up my mind."

"That was smart," Usagi said, giving a little giggle. "I was lucky Makoto already had her own place when I wanted to move out of my parents' house. Although we drive each other a little crazy, so we've been looking around for a bigger place. It's so hard to find something we like, though. And maybe it won't be needed, anyway."

Usagi's eyes strayed away from his, finally, seeking out her friend across the room. A soft smile stole over her when she found Makoto and Motoki standing side by side talking to some more of his friends. His hand rested on the small of her back, and it made the gooey romantic core in Usagi melt even farther. She sighed at the sweetness before turning back to Mamoru. He had also been looking their way; she caught a wistful look in his eyes when they came back to her.

"Do you think he's going to ask her to marry him soon?"

"I know Makoto hopes he will. They've been dating for two years." Usagi's smile turned into a grin. "And if that happens, I'll get the apartment to myself."

Mamoru rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Getting a little ahead of yourself."

Usagi shrugged. "It's bound to happen sooner or later. And it's not like I'll be getting married first," she snorted in amusement at the thought.

"No one's caught your eye, huh?" The question was casual, although he didn't look at her while asking. But she prided herself on being an open book.

"Nope. A couple guys have tried, but for one reason or another things didn't work out. Minako says I'm too picky." She thought she saw his fists clench, but they relaxed again right away, so she must have been mistaken.

"Ah. Their loss." His eyes burned into hers once more.

"What about you? No one pining away for you back in America?" Oh, man, that was obvious. So stupidly obvious. But he asked first!

It was Mamoru's turn to shrug. "If they are, they shouldn't be. I broke up with someone over a year ago. It wasn't...we just weren't a good match."

"Oh." Usagi pressed her lips together against the flash of heat that burned through her at the thought of that unnamed woman. "That sucks. Break-ups are never easy."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Some are easier than others."

"Her loss," Usagi found herself echoing. She allowed her smile to creep back. "And I can't say I'm unhappy if it brings you back to Japan."

"Oh, really?" He raised his eyebrows, smirk firmly back in place.

Usagi's chin shot into the air. "Of course. Motoki missed you."

"So you said earlier." This time she was sure he was laughing at her.

"Well, he did!"

"Hmmmm."

To her surprise, he reached out again, this time catching one of her ponytails between her fingers. Her eyes followed the golden strands as he tugged gently and then allowed them to slip away in a waterfall of sunshine. When the last piece fell, she looked back up at him. His eyes were softer than she'd ever imagined seeing.

"I'm glad you didn't change your hair."

"You hated my hair!"

Mamoru shook his head. "I absolutely did not. But it was fun getting a rise out of you, Odango."

Her heart almost stopped when he actually winked. At her. Then her brain caught up with what he said, and she waved a finger at him.

"Let's get one thing straight before tomorrow, mister. I don't want to hear 'Odango' from you once, got it?"

Mamoru held up both hands. "Okay, okay. I'll do my best."

It was Usagi's turn to smirk. "You'd better if you want to take you to all the best places."

Mamoru sobered a bit. "Has it really changed so much here?"

There was that hint of wistfulness again. It made Usagi's heart ache. She reached out and placed a comforting hand in his arm.

"Not that much. Minako was totally exaggerating. But there are some cool new things I can show you, and amazing restaurants."

Mamoru's hand covered hers for a moment. Usagi marveled at how her hand felt in his, even like this. They'd rarely touched before, when she was younger. But somehow this felt like coming home.

"I look forward to it."

Usagi felt like her heart was soaring high above the clouds. So of course, that was when Rei arrived to bring it back down to Earth as only she could.

"Hey, you two. Minako's trying to talk everyone into going to the izakaya down the road now that we all have a good base of food in us. Makoto and Motoki said they'd join us after they clean up. Are you in?"

Usagi drew her hand back but kept her gaze on Mamoru, not bothering to look at Rei next to them. She raised her eyebrows in challenge. She couldn't picture the Mamoru of six years ago casually going to an izakaya with friends. Although he didn't seem excited about the idea, he also nodded.

Finally, Usagi looked over at Rei. She blushed at the knowing look in her eyes but kept her head high.

"Sure! Sounds like fun, although I think we should all help Mako and Motoki first. They deserve it with all the hard work they've done!"

"We all put work into this place—but you're right." Rei nodded and walked over to the other small groups, beginning to rally them in the cleanup.

"You're a good friend," Mamoru observed next to Usagi as she moved toward the buffet table.

Usagi threw a smile over her shoulder as she picked up an empty black platter that had been full of tempura earlier.

"Thanks. Glad you've finally noticed."

"I'm noticing a lot."

To distract herself from that, she busied her hands with stacking platters, which were swept away by one of the other guests. Within a matter of minutes, the front room had been cleared and furniture rearranged so it looked just the way it was supposed to. Usagi heard the chatter of a few others in the kitchen as she placed one of the final chairs, so she didn't try to go help washing up. The kitchen wasn't that big.

Minako must have also excused herself from dish washing. She slid around the table next to where Usagi had stopped and looped an arm through hers, smiling smugly. Usagi tried hard not to grin back, but it was inevitable.

"I guess you want me to thank you, huh?" she whispered.

Minako giggled quietly. "Oh, I can wait until after the weekend for that. But I did notice the two of you getting awfully close."

Usagi snorted. "Of course you did."

"And I have opinions. And ideas."

"Am I supposed to be shocked?" Usagi giggled right along with Minako.

"Will you two hyenas take your purses so we can get some drinks?" Rei dangled Usagi's pink purse and a gold one she recognized as Minako's in front of them.

The two blonds rolled their eyes and snatched their respective purses before joining the larger group beginning to stream out of the restaurant. Usagi ended up toward the back and watched fondly as Motoki and Makoto turned off the lights and locked up, pride in every motion. She moved off to give them room and somehow ended up next to Mamoru again.

"So where exactly are we going?" Mamoru asked

Usagi laughed. "Minako didn't say. But I guarantee wherever it is, they have good cocktails. She's picky."

He nodded and they fell into a much more comfortable silence than earlier. Usagi enjoyed walking in the warm night air, not oppressively hot but also without the chill that early spring held. Her arms swung freely by her sides as she looked around, taking in the groups walking along either side of the street, passing cars, and the glow of lights from businesses and apartments. Since becoming an adult, this was her favorite time of day. Release the stress of work, often hanging out with friends, with the bustle of the city around her.

She felt Mamoru's eyes on her and glanced at him with a smile. He looked so serious at first that it faltered, but then his mouth tilted up at the corners.

"You like the city, don't you?"

"Of course! It's always so busy, and I can find anything I need, and everyone I love is here. What's not to like?"

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess not much."

Usagi blushed at the warm look he gave her. She was so busy eyeing him that she didn't notice a large crack in the sidewalk ahead. Her right toe caught in it, jerking her momentum to a halt and sending her tumbling forward.

Or it would have, if a large hand hadn't caught hers and pulled her back up. Usagi found herself tucked against Mamoru's side, once again so close she could make out tiny flecks of gold in his dark blue eyes that seemed to catch and reflect the lamplight. His other hand landed on her shoulder, steadying her.

"Thanks, again."

Mamoru chuckled. "Seems like it's going to take some work to get you safely to the izakaya. Hopefully we're close," he teased. His hand smoothed over her upper arm in a gentle, reassuring gesture, causing her not to mind his words nearly so much as she might have.

"C'mon, you two," Makoto said from behind them, poking Usagi's arm where it pressed against Mamoru's. "Looks like Minako finally found what she was looking for!"

Usagi looked up to see the rest of their group starting to turn in at a building just ahead. Mamoru's hand fell from her shoulder, but before he could release the hand he held, she began to tug him forward.

"Oh, this place carries my favorite umeshu! I'll have to thank Minako!" she squealed.

Then she realized what she was doing and dropped Mamoru's hand like it had burned her. She turned mortified eyes to him.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Why?" he asked, shaking his head. "You were just excited."

She grinned up at him. "I am."

"Usagi is very particular about her umeshu," Makoto said, patting her on the head as she and Motoki passed.

Usagi realized that left her and Mamoru at the very back of the group. Unfortunately, by the time they got in the door, their group had taken up all of the available tables, but no empty seats were left. Mamoru pointed to two empty stools at the bar.

"Shall we?"

Usagi nodded and followed him across the room, her heels clicking on the wooden floor and drawing her friends' eyes. She gave them a little wave and pointed to the bar. Minako winked, Rei and Makoto snickered behind their hands, and Ami watched with wide eyes as Usagi walked away from them with Mamoru.

The stools were utilitarian, which she thought Mamoru probably approved of, simple slabs of dark wood for the seats with low rungs to indicate the backs. Mamoru slid onto one with ease, but Usagi had to give a little hop up onto hers. She teetered first a moment and felt Mamoru's hand on her back, steadying her. The skin of her back felt seared by his fingers and palm; even when he removed his hand, she was sure she still felt it.

"What are you going to order?" Usagi asked breathlessly to cover her internal turmoil. Surely drink choices were a neutral topic.

"Probably just nihonshu," Mamoru commented as he scanned the small laminated drink menu card laying in the polished oak bar.

"Well, I guess you already know I'm going to have umeshu. Theirs is so good! Minako's tried to get me to at least order an umeshu sour, but I'm worried it would ruin the flavor." Usagi realized she was babbling and so bent her head over the menu as well.

Mamoru hummed but didn't say anything else. Once more, Usagi felt hyper-aware of how close they were, mere centimeters set between each of the stools. And since an unfamiliar man sat to her right, she found herself leaning even more toward Mamoru on her left so that her shoulder practically brushed his arm. The fairy lights over the bar reflected off the glossy wood and glasses, catching her eye.

"Hey, can I have your Line?" a voice to her right asked.

Usagi sat straighter and turned her head slowly, unsure that she was really the target for this, now of all times. She hardly ever had guys hitting on her when she was out; usually they were too bowled over by Minako or Rei. But her blue eyes met dark brown staring straight at her, although they weren't on her face for long. She felt her skin crawl when the guy grinned, revealing several crooked teeth, eyes still firmly fixed on her chest.

Before she could refuse to give him her information, the man leaned closer and slurred, "Your hair is amazing. I want to wrap it in my fists as I—"

"Is this person bothering you, Usako?" Mamoru's arm landed heavy on her shoulders, his hand curling around her arm and rubbing slightly.

Instinctively, Usagi leaned into his touch while whipping her head around, eyes wide. Realizing the out he was giving her, she forced a bright smile and laugh. "It's fine, Mamo-chan. I was about to handle him," she purred, running a playful finger over his cheek, a spark of satisfaction igniting in her when his blue eyes turned almost black.

Usagi turned back to the guy on her right who was watching them with palpable disappointment.

"Sorry, but no. You can't have my Line." She shrugged, and Mamoru's arm slid down her crack until his hand settled on her waist. He pulled her closer so that she was practically in his lap. That sent off a whole storm of butterflies in her stomach.

"Too bad," the man muttered, turning back around.

Usagi reluctantly pulled away from Mamoru and settled back on her own stool. His arm remained behind her, hand now resting on the short back of the seat. She felt his knuckles pressing into her hip, each a jutting reminder of how close she'd been to him just moments before.

Mamoru, as if unaware of how he was affecting her, raised his free hand and caught the attention of the server. The balding man behind the bar shuffled over.

"One umeshu and one umeshu sour, please."

Usagi elbowed Mamoru as the server walked away. She stretched up so that her lips were right next to his ear.

"Why'd you order for me?"

He lowered his head and returned the favor, his breath fire along the shell of her ear. "I owe you for showing me around tomorrow. Plus, do you want that jerk to think you're available?"

This time she poked him in the thigh with a stiff finger. "I can handle guys like him by myself, you know," she hissed, lips still dangerously near his skin. In the back of her mind, she knew what they looked like. She just wished it was real.

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm confident of that. But he was staring at you."

There was an underlying growl in his voice that sent a thrill down her spine. Still, being her, Usagi had to poke fun at him a little.

"And Usako? What was that about?" she whispered. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his cheek go red.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. Mamo-chan?"

"Same." They nodded and pulled apart, although she noticed Mamoru's arm behind her still hadn't moved. Usagi wasn't sure what exactly they'd established between them, but just then their drinks came.

"Do you want to try mine?" Mamoru offered, holding up one glass and comparing the cloudy gold liquid to the other, a clear amber. "I figured if you give it a try, then Minako can't harass you about it anymore. And if you like it, you can keep it and I'll take your umeshu."

Usagi considered both drinks and then nodded. She accepted his glass and raised it to her lips for a delicate sip. The flavor exploded on her tongue, and she cursed herself for not giving this a chance before.

"I take it from the way your eyes lit up that you like it," Mamoru said, reaching for the other glass.

"I should never have doubted Minako," she admitted fervently.

"I won't tell her you said that. I remember her being a little…" he paused as if searching for the right word.

"Pushy? Bossy? Would never let me live it down in a thousand years?" Usagi laughed. "Thanks. You're probably right."

While they nursed their drinks, the spot to Usagi's right suddenly felt lighter. She glanced over and saw the unfortunate man next to her had stood up to leave. Their eyes met, and she shrugged apologetically once more.

"Thank goodness," Usagi muttered once he walked away, putting more space between her and Mamoru. "That was so awkward."

"Pretending to be my date?"

Did she detect a trace of hurt in his voice? Usagi spun to face him, gasping. She examined his face, the way his brow had lowered, his eyes shuttered a little from the open expression she'd been enjoying all night. If anything, he looked like the old Mamoru, the one before they reached an uneasy truce just before she turned sixteen.

"No! Just him being here after that! I hate getting hit on, honestly," she confessed. "I'm glad it's usually Minako or Rei who get the attention."

Mamoru's expression lightened. He smiled slightly, shaking his head. "I don't know why."

"Because it's awkward!" Usagi huffed, taking a deeper gulp of her cocktail. "What am I supposed to say if they keep pushing it? Or like that creep, staring where I don't want them to?"

"No, I meant I don't know why you don't get hit on just as much, if not more. You're beautiful." Red stained his cheeks, but he kept talking. "And you should never feel bad about answering someone honestly when they want more than you're willing to give."

Something in Usagi softened. Maybe it was the hurt that sixteen-year-old Usagi had felt when faced with Mamoru's rejection. Maybe it was just the anxiety from that night's encounter. Whatever it was, it caused her to reach over and take his hand in hers.

"I'm so glad that you were honest with me, all those years ago. I want you to know that."

He stiffened, eyes wide. "I'm so sorry-" He started to draw his hand back, his arm behind her dropping away, and she could see the shutters closing in his eyes again.

She tightened her hand, not letting him pull away, and tried for a smile. "No! No, you were right. It took me a while to admit it, and by then you were already gone. But you were right. I was so young and naive. Things wouldn't have worked between us, no matter how infatuated I was with you."

"I regretted what I said that day." It sounded as if he forced those words from his lips. With his shadowed eyes, she wasn't sure if that was because he regretted hurting her or because he wished it hadn't been true. Her hopeful side thought maybe it was the latter. Or both.

"I can't say I'm not glad." Usagi winked and took her hand off his. She turned and lifted her glass, draining it to the last drop, suddenly in need of the liquid courage the alcohol provided. "I did miss you when you were gone. Nothing worked to fill the void, although I tried."

She saw Mamoru's hand clench around his own glass. "Nothing worked for me, either," he whispered so low she almost didn't catch the words that drifted under the sin of the izakaya.

Her head snapped around. She stared at him, totally unsure that she heard what she thought she heard. At first he kept staring at his drink before he lifted it with jerky movements and drained the umeshu, leaving only melting ice in the glass. Then he turned to face her as well. His eyes held a vulnerability that tore her heart and made it soar at the same time.

"Can we go somewhere more private?"

Usagi nodded, stunned. Her head spun a little as Mamoru called the server over and paid for both their drinks, and not from the alcohol. One drink was nothing.

Mamoru slid off his stool and offered a hand to steady her as she moved to get down as well. His skin almost burned hers, whether from the warmth of the building and the bodies pressed in around them or something else, she wasn't sure. To her surprise he took her hand in his as he led the way out of the izakaya. She caught Minako's eye as they passed and gave a little wave. Her friend grinned and threw her a thumbs up and an air kiss.

Once back on the sidewalk, Mamoru turned to her.

"Do you mind—I mean, I don't want to presume, but you said that you and Makoto are roommates…"

Usagi put him out of his misery. She squeezed the fingers wrapped around hers. "Let's go back to your place, okay?"

He nodded, and they set off into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we come to the lemon! Now, I've told my friends that 1) I'm wordy, and 2) I really NEED a relationship for sex to feel right to me, so you're going to just have to put up with some talking first. But I have a feeling you won't mind based on the reviews I've seen! Speaking of, thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed so far. It's been a busy week in real life and trying to finish this story, but I promise to try to send out personal thanks soon to all the reviews I can!
> 
> A huge thanks goes out to Ninjette-Twitch again for betaing this despite her very busy schedule herself (and stories-remember, go review her Smutember stories and encourage her to write more!).
> 
> Also, as a note to the guest reviewer on FFN who didn't know what the Line App is and apparently has never heard of Google, it is the most popular messaging app in Japan, used even more than texting phone-to-phone.
> 
> Now, please enjoy the lemony goodness in this chapter!

Thankfully, it turned out that Mamoru didn't live far away. They didn't even have to take the train to the other side of Azabujuban. A warm glow suffused her when he kept hold of her hand. It made that seed of hope in her heart sprout and start to bloom. Which was probably ridiculous because she hadn't seen him in years, but she was having such a hard time remembering that.

Neither of them spoke as they briskly walked through the thinning crowds. Usagi opened her mouth a few times to say something, anything, but his expression of serious concentration froze the words on her lips. They weren't important anyway, just attempts to distract herself from where their conversation was headed so she didn't get nervous and do something stupid.

Despite lack of distraction, the trip went quickly. Before she realized what was happening, Mamoru was pulling her into a brightly-lit alcove and swiping a card into the auto lock. They traversed a black and cream tiled lobby to a small bank of elevators. Once inside the wood-paneled confines of the elevator car, there wasn't much to look at but Mamoru, so she did.

She drank in his profile, the way his features remained outwardly calm but turmoil turned his blue eyes midnight, the white-knuckled grip he took off the bar set at hip-height with the hand that wasn't holding hers. Once more she started to say something but stopped herself. She could sense it still wasn't the right time somehow.

Fifteen floors up, nearly the top of the building, the elevator drew to a smooth stop. Mamoru tugged her hand and guided her off. They walked down a red-carpeted hall until he stopped at the third door on the right. He unlocked it, flicked a light switch just inside, and waved her in.

His genkan was spotless and austere, much as she would have expected if she ever thought of it. A small rack for shoes sat off to one side, with everlasting types of street shoes. A couple pairs of house slippers waited, both large.

Mamoru followed her eyes to the slippers and blushed.

"Uh, sorry. I wasn't expecting company except for maybe Motoki, so I didn't get any smaller slippers when I was out stocking up."

Usagi smiled. "Don't be silly. It's fine. Although I'll look funny wearing those!" She wrinkled her nose and laughed as she toed out of her pink heels, secretly grateful to be done with them for a bit. They might be cute, but they weren't meant for long sessions of standing or walking, let alone the running she'd done before the party. She dropped her purse next to his shoes, a pile of pink among the black and white surrounding her.

Mamoru nodded in response to her words and took off his own shoes. Once they both wore slippers, he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Would you like some tea? All I have is green tea right now..." he quietly asked, still not looking her into the eye.

Usagi sensed that the tea was meant to soothe his nerves more than to be hospitable, but that was no reason to refuse.

"That would be great."

Mamoru headed toward what turned out to be an efficient kitchen, with stark white cabinets and stainless steel countertops. Very few items graced the counters, one exception being an electric kettle. Usagi settled onto one of two black metal stools that graced the steel bar jutting out from one wall, dividing the kitchen and living space. While he occupied himself taking cups and a box of tea from mostly bare cabinets with hands that trembled ever so slightly, she granted herself permission to look around. After all, he was the one who invited her in.

The living room followed the theme of the other rooms she'd seen in that it was practically a blank canvas, especially compared to the clutter that was the apartment she shared with Makoto. No pictures adorned the white walls. A simple set of white vertical blinds were partially drawn over the floor-to-ceiling windows along one side, through which she glimpsed the outlines of buildings as told by lighted windows and the glow of streetlights. A single couch and chair set graced the center of the hardwood floor, black leather with what she was sure was called "clean lines."

It was a little depressing, but she reminded himself that he had just moved back. There was time for decorating later, right? He was such a sensible person, or at least she'd always thought so. It made sense that he would only take care of the necessities first.

The clink of ceramic against metal started her, and she looked over to see Mamoru set two black mugs on the bar between them. Steam rose from inside, sending the distinct scent of green tea wafting up.

"I have lemon, if you'd like, or ginger. And I have honey."

"Oh, honey and lemon, please," she requested.

He bustled around the kitchen some more, pulling out the additional ingredients. She watched as he carefully measured and added, looking up a few times to see if she wanted more lemon or honey. Each time he responded just right to her nods or head shakes.

As he set her mug in front of her, she noticed that he added only honey to his own tea, but more than even she had wanted. It was endearing; she mostly remembered him drinking coffee, and she'd always assumed that it was black with no flavoring. Now she wondered if she'd been wrong. Maybe she'd been wrong about a lot of things when it came to Mamoru.

Usagi lifted the cup to her lips and gently blew on it, mirroring him. She took her first sip much sooner than he did, savoring the hot liquid even as the combination of tastes burst on her tongue.

First sip out of the way, she carefully placed the cup back on the bar and stared at Mamoru, eyebrows raised.

"Sooo...you missed me?" The words bubbled out of her, more teasing than she'd intended. His eyes bore into hers, though, serious and earnest.

"Every day."

His words shook her, threw her back into that daze she'd fallen into in the izakaya, but at the same time they resonated. No matter what she tried to tell herself, there wasn't a day in the intervening years when she didn't have at least one small thought about him. It didn't take much. A cup of coffee, a ridiculously difficult question in a textbook, seeing someone tall with black hair out of the corner of her eyes. Even roses sometimes reminded her of him, although she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was just that whenever she was close enough to Mamoru, she caught the faint scent of damp earth and roses.

It hadn't mattered when she tried to date; that wasn't distraction enough, something she'd eventually learned was a signal that none of those guys were the right man for her. If they couldn't make her forget a love she'd all but given up on at sixteen, what hope was there for a future with them? It was something her friends had never understood, although they were always supportive of her decision to end things.

"Me, too." She whispered the words even as her eyes dropped to her tea. She took a bracing gulp, practically scalding her tongue in the process. She'd forgotten to blow on it.

"I meant what I said then, though. Even though it hurt both of us. I don't—I don't think we were in the right place for a relationship. But I wish sometimes I hadn't left."

Usagi licked her lips, still staring at her fingers clutching her mug. "Was it me?"

"What do you mean?"

She lifted her eyes and sought his, hoping she'd be able to see from his eyes if he told the truth. "Did you go to a completely different continent for school because of me?"

Mamoru's eyes widened then narrowed. "No. I had already applied to Harvard before that. I should have said that. I think I was trying to, but it came out wrong."

Usagi's jaw dropped a little, mind spinning in circles as she tried to process that. "Telling me I was too young to be in a relationship with you, that was your idea of telling me you were leaving?"

"Sort of?" He ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the black strands. "What I meant was that you were too young to get into a long-distance relationship that might not last. I saw what it did to Motoki."

"But you laughed." Her voice was small. That had been the part that hurt the most, the part that still hurt after all these years.

He set his mug down and rushed around the bar. He took her hand and pulled gently until she turned to face him. His other hand slid under her chin and tilted her face up, forcing her eyes to meet his. Usagi thought she registered horror and sadness.

"I didn't—I wasn't laughing at _you._ I was—I was laughing at _fate._ " The way he stammered out that confession convinced her of his sincerity, but she still had no idea what he meant.

"Huh?"

His lips pressed together for a moment, and he sighed. "Here was this girl I couldn't stop thinking about for two years. At first because it was fun to tease her, and then because I noticed how beautiful she was with fire in her eyes. And she was telling me that she liked me—me, a guy who could barely put into thoughts what he was feeling, let alone say it. And I had just gotten my acceptance to Harvard."

His thumb rubbed her cheek. "I couldn't ask you to wait for me. I was in for the full four year ride, including two years of residency. And this was something I'd been dreaming of for so long, I couldn't give that up either. So the only thing I could do was laugh. And I tried to tell you, but I barely got any of it out and then you were running off."

His sad eyes bore holes into her soul while his words lightened and dissipated clouds she hadn't known she still held on to.

"I'm so sorry."

Tentatively, Usagi brought her free hand up to cup his over her cheek.

"So you didn't think I was silly?"

"No! What made you think that?"

"You said it!"

"I definitely did not."

Usagi scrunched up her brow, trying to find the memory she'd buried deep down of that day. But his exact words wouldn't come to her. Hadn't he? If he said he didn't, then she believed him.

"Oh." A smile burst out of her. "I'm glad."

His eyebrows raised. "Glad?"

"That you didn't think I was silly."

"Of course I didn't! I wouldn't trample anyone's heart on purpose, especially not yours."

They fell silent, still staring into each other's eyes as the years and confessions washed away that monumental misunderstanding. Usagi might have been content to stay like this forever, drowning in the relief that filled her, but one small thought niggled at her.

"Mamo-chan," the nickname slipped at, and when he smiled in delight at it, she continued, "you said that you thought I was beautiful. Do you still think that?"

His eyes darkened a little, sweeping over her face. "Even more beautiful than you were at sixteen. I wouldn't have thought it was possible, but here you are." He dropped her hand so that he could frame her face with both of his.

"I never stopped liking you, you know. I compared every guy I dated to you. It really wasn't fair to them." She was babbling again, but who could blame her as he stepped even closer to her?

"Am I supposed to say that I'm sorry for that?" he whispered, one thumb rubbing over her lip slightly.

"I guess not." A small giggle escaped her.

"No one could ever compare to you either—Usako."

His lips were a mere whisper from hers now, but he just hovered. She realized he was letting her decide. Silly man. Her hand slipped behind his head and pulled him all the way down until their lips slid together. The heat was instantaneous, curling down her body to her toes. The kiss itself was light at first but grew deeper as they explored angles and pressure. Usagi grew a little lightheaded from it, but she barely noticed that. She was too lost in sensation.

One of Mamoru's hands left her face, tracing down her shoulder and back in a fiery trail. He pressed lightly at the small of her back, causing her to slide off the stool and directly into his arms. Still their lips pressed and slid, tasting each other for the first time.

Finally, they both broke apart, gasping slightly to take in much-needed air.

"Wow." Dazed, she stared up at him in wonder.

"Yeah."

"Maybe just...one more?" she suggested, running her hand up his arm so that she could lock both behind his neck. He adjusted his grip on her waist.

"Are you—"

"Don't ask me if I'm sure. I've wanted to kiss you for six years, and I'm finally getting my chance. Don't break the fantasy, Mamo-chan!" she scolded him with a low laugh.

His eyes dropped to her mouth again. "Well, if you insist," he teased back.

Their second kiss was somehow even hotter than the first, lighting an inferno Usagi hadn't been aware she was even capable of. Now pressed firmly against his entire body, the way his mouth felt against hers as their hands wandered coalesced into a firestorm of sensation, raising goosebumps on the inches of bare flesh he found when her blouse rode up her waist.

Usagi ran the fingers of one hand through his hair, delighting in the silky feel of the strands against her skin. She'd always wondered if it was as soft as it looked. Her fingers fisted in it when his mouth slanted at a different angle and he sucked on her bottom lip, giving it a nip. She gasped and returned the favor by pulling away just enough to run the tip of her tongue over his. The sound he made deep in his throat was her reward.

Apparently that initiated an all-out competition between them for who could make the other moan more. At one point Mamoru turned them so that she was sandwiched between his body and the bar. She didn't mind. It gave her something to brace against as she lifted a leg up to twine around his and draw him closer, the hard ridge of his erection pressed against the soft swell of her stomach.

He tore his mouth from hers only to slide his lips along her cheek and along her jaw, finding spots she hadn't even known were sensitive and grazing them with small, wet kisses. Usagi threw her head back to allow him better access even as she ran her hands down his arms, feeling the heat of his skin under the smooth fabric of his shirt. Her hands sought out his waist and tugged his shirt out so that she could finally feel the warm skin of his back, the lean, coiled muscles underneath practically begging for her to trace them.

"Are we going too fast?" he murmured against her skin at one point, even as one of his hands wandered up from her waist to cup and squeeze a breast, sending sparks shooting down her skin when his thumb grazed the nipple through her lace bra.

Barely coherent, Usagi pulled one hand away from his back to smack his shoulder. "I've been waiting for you for six years. Stop it."

He didn't bother with words when he lifted his head to catch her eyes with his own, lust-darkened and needy in a way she would never get tired of. She drew his mouth back down to hers, this time for a long, slow kiss. Mamoru continued his exploration of her breasts, this time one in each hand. He smiled against her mouth when she moaned again.

"You like that?" he teased when his thumbs found her nipples and pressed in. Somehow he knew just the right amount of pressure to send her bucking against him.

"You think you're so smart," she ground out, reaching up to run a finger along his jaw and down his neck. Her quick fingers found the buttons of his shirt and flicked them aside. "Two can play at that game."

She stretched up to capture his mouth with hers while her hands parted his shirt. She hummed against his lips when her skin met his, no pesky undershirt in the way. The planes of his chest fascinated her almost as much as the taste of his mouth, smooth and then sharply angled, buds of nipples that tightened when she flicked them and it was his turn to moan.

He tore his mouth from hers and stood there panting while she smirked.

"I don't know that I'd call this fair."

"Oh?"

He shook his head and his hands moved to the center of her chest. She watched his face as he undid the buttons of her blouse with much more care than she ever bothered, almost as if he was savoring each exposed inch. His eyes were so dark she couldn't even call them blue anymore, his mouth slightly parted when he drew in a sharp breath once he got a good look at the white lace bra she'd chosen for the day. His fingers brushed along the scalloped edges, and she shivered, sending a delighted smile to dance in his eyes.

Mamoru must have realized that he'd stopped part way, though, because suddenly the rest of her buttons were free almost as quickly as she'd managed to undo his. He sucked in another breath as his fingers grazed her stomach, and honestly so did she. Her fingers grasped his waist tighter, needing something to keep her from melting into a pool at his feet from the heat alone.

Then he dipped his head and his lips grazed the tops of her breasts where his fingers had just trailed, and Usagi couldn't help the gasp that escaped, followed by another moan. She managed to let go of his waist with one hand only to bury it in his hair, fingers sinking into the soft mass and holding on for dear life when he took that for the encouragement she intended. He pressed open-mouthed kisses to her skin, managing to catch lace several times. The dampness from his mouth seeped through the lace in a mixture of sensation that left her dazed.

He lifted his head again and stared at her. There was an awe in his eyes, one that echoed in her own heart. They were here, together, and going very much farther than either had dreamed. In dismay, she felt him withdraw a little.

"Usako—"

"No." She shook her head, firm quick jerks. "No regrets. No doubts. I want you, more than I've ever wanted anyone I think. And I'm pretty sure you want me, too." She wiggled against him to prove her point, holding him even firmer with the leg she twined around his.

"Actually," he gave her a small smile, "I was going to suggest moving somewhere more comfortable."

She giggled. "Oh. Okay, yeah, that might be nice."

Biting her lip, she blushed as she unwound from him and he stepped away. He grabbed her hand and started to lead her across the living room to one of the two doors on the other side, but she pulled him to a stop when she thought of something.

"Um, protection...we should probably…"

Mamoru ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I don't...it's been a while, and I wasn't really expecting…"

Usagi grinned. "That's alright. Hold on!"

She slipped her hand from his and hurried back to the genkan. She fumbled to open her purse and pulled out the little foil packet there. Racing back toward him, she triumphantly held it up.

"Minako makes sure we always have an emergency spare and that it's not expired. She's kind of insistent about it," she explained, blushing.

Mamoru's slow smile and the way he grabbed her hand again drew a laugh as she followed him.

His bedroom was as spacious yet as minimally furnished as the rest of his apartment. The focal point was an enormous bed draped in light gray and framed by two simple nightstands. She barely had eyes for anything else after seeing that.

Well, until Mamoru stopped and turned to face her. His face, framed by inky hair and lit by the moonlight and city lights pouring in through floor-to-ceiling windows on one side of the room, was much more difficult to read without being able to clearly see his eyes, but that slight smile was still there. His shirt still hung open over his chest and stomach, providing shadows that caressed each muscle. Usagi licked her lips and inched closer, crushing the foil packet in one hand while the other reached out to trace yet again, this time able to see the way his muscles contracted under her fingers.

"I want to learn every inch of you," she confessed, looking up shyly at him.

He cleared his throat. "No objections here."

His warm skin called to her, drawing her toward him even though his arms hung at his sides, letting her explore as much as she wanted. The condom fell to the ground as she slid her hands over his chest and up onto his shoulders, taking probably too much delight in the fine shiver she felt race across his skin. Her fingers dug slightly into the muscles as she went, varying the pressure, memorizing the way his shoulders flexed when she pushed his shirt off and then down his arms. It caught at his wrists and she pouted.

Mamoru chuckled and swiftly undid the buttons that allowed her to finish the job. His shirt looked at his feet while she ran her hands up and down his arms, utterly fascinated.

"I always wondered what you looked like without a shirt on," she teased, stepping closer so that her nose was practically pressed against his skin.

"Probably a lot less impressive back then." His voice was tight.

"Hmmm. I don't think so." Usagi closed the small distance and breathed him in, that delicious earthy floral scent she would sometimes catch before. She pressed a kiss just above his nipple, making him jump. His hands clamped onto her waist then, firmly holding her while she began to let her tongue do the next round of exploring. His fingers traced jerky patterns along her skin; she was pretty sure each time they totally stopped, her tongue had found a particularly sensitive spot.

She was really enjoying herself. She'd never taken the time to study the few lovers she'd bothered with, not like this. But there was something that told her that she needed to know every bit of him, as intimately as possible, as quickly as possible. At the same time, being with him like this didn't feel like the first time at all.

She dropped to her knees as her mouth traveled over the planes of his upper abdomen, causing it to flex. She smiled against his stomach and kept going, licking and kissing. At the same time, her fingers found his belt buckle and she fumbled it open blindly, too busy to pull back and actually look at what she was doing.

She felt his hands begin running through her hair, gently tugging at the base of each bun and tangling with the strands only to release, over and over as her mouth explored his abdomen and her own hands pushed his pants down. She pulled back enough to help him slide out of them all the way, grinning when she saw in the dim light that his black socks were trimmed with roses on at the top.

"I love the socks," she murmured, running her finger over one set of flowers. She pouted a bit when he pulled them off and resolved to make sure to see them again sometime, in full light.

"Thanks." Mamoru chuckled as she mournfully watched him drop them onto the pile his pants and shirt had made.

She looked back at him and gasped. "Omigosh! Your boxers have roses, too!" She grinned and reached out, tracing a silky red rose on his hip.

"Usako," he groaned, catching her hand and pulling her back up. "I think you're a little overdressed, aren't you?"

She lifted her chin. "Well, shouldn't you fix that?"

He took her challenge and ran a finger along her throat, tickling her at the same time as it turned her on. His finger hooked in the collar of her blouse and pulled, exposing her shoulder and upper arm. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her skin, making her shiver. Then he repeated on the other side. Inch by inch he pulled down her blouse and kissed along her arms; she giggled when he found the sensitive skin inside her elbow.

Her shirt now joined the pile with his, and his hands were back at her waist before she could miss them. Usagi clutched his upper arms as he caressed up her sides until his thumbs brushed just under her breasts, teasing her. Then he reached around and unhooked her bra. She watched him watching her breasts tumble free; it was the most erotic thing she could ever remember seeing.

Mamoru's hands slid back to finally cup her skin to skin. They both watched her nipples harden with the slightest touch, and then his head dipped down. She almost screamed from the pleasure she felt when his mouth latched onto one dark pink nipple and he suckled, strong pulls that left her moaning and wriggling in his arms. When he turned his attention to its twin, she could barely stand the exquisite sensations, her fingers digging so hard into his shoulders that she must be leaving marks.

Once he moved on from her nipples, he also began an exploration with hands and tongue that rivaled her own. Everything narrowed down to sensation for her, wave after wave of pleasure and fire racing across her skin wherever his fingers and moth touched. She barely noticed when he unbuttoned her skirt and let it drop down along her legs, although she whimpered in protest when he moved away. But it was only to pull her away from the pool of fabric at her feet and closer to the bed, so she easily forgave him.

They tumbled onto the firm mattress. She wasn't even sure which one of them had made the final move to it first. She was too lost in the kiss he offered her, lips and tongues sliding together while their hands continued exploring. At one point, his fingers hooked the delicate waistband of her white lace panties and tugged. They pulled out of their kiss long enough for him to slide the barely there scraps of lace down and off, tossing it to the side somewhere, before he captured her lips again for another long, searing kiss.

His fingers trailed down her stomach, firmly pressing into her flesh and causing her to moan into his mouth. He lifted his head, and through passion-drunk eyes, she saw him look down. Then his fingers tangled with the soft, short curls between her legs.

Usagi's hips lifted off the smooth sheets when his fingers brushed against and parted her damp folds, her fingers fisted into the sheets beside her. She moaned something entirely incoherent as he pressed in deeper and began rubbing, finding her clit almost as quickly as she ever managed. Her hips bucked again to the rhythm he set, and she was vaguely aware that he laid propped up on one elbow, watching while his hand worked her over in the most delicious way imaginable.

His fingers stroked her, sure and deep, and her moans became keening cries she couldn't have kept quiet if she wanted to. She twisted on the bed, but somehow he managed to keep her hips mostly pinned. Bright bursts of light shot across her vision as he picked up the pace, and her mind went entirely blank for one white hot second that seemed to fill an eternity. She drifted from the height, sated for the moment, to find him cradling her shoulders and pressing small kisses to her forehead.

"You are so beautiful." His voice sounded almost reverent, she decided groggily as she snuggled into his side.

To her dismay he slipped away before she could get comfortable. That jarred her back to reality a bit, although she couldn't find the energy to lift her head as her eyes followed him across the room. He bent down and came back up with a silver square in his hand, and only then did she remember the condom.

She watched him slide his rose-covered boxers off, his erection springing free. A smug smile tugged at her lips because she had caused that reaction, all her. Thought slid away again as he ripped the foil packet open and slid the condom on then joined her back in the bed.

His mouth found hers once more, hot and needy. She wrapped her arms around his back, drawing him closer. He laid half on top of her, carefully keeping all his weight on his arms to either side, and she let her hands begin a leisurely exploration of his back. Her nails scraped lightly from his lower back up to his shoulders, and it was his turn to moan into her mouth and buck against her. She reveled in the feel of his cock against her, hot and heavy and needy.

One of his hands slid between her legs again and she spread them wider even as his fingers plunged into her again, sliding over the slick wet flesh there. Still throbbing from her orgasm, she felt the need ride in her again.

"Please, Mamo-chan," she softly cried, tearing her lips from his, fingers digging harder into his shoulders.

He rose up over her and moved between her thighs. She reached down and helped guide his cock until he was poised right at her entrance. With an almost gentle nudge he pushed in, one slow inch at a time, until he was buried completely inside her. They both paused for a moment, staring at each other. Then Usagi smiled and pulled his mouth down to hers, and he began to thrust in and out in long strokes that increased in momentum with excruciating slowness.

She could feel every inch as he moved in and out, pressing against her inner walls. Combined with the way his chest pressed against hers, stimulating her nipples, and his tongue sliding along hers, she was coming close to reaching a second climax already. As if he could sense that, he pulled his mouth away and rose up, changing their angle and driving in just that much deeper.

Usagi's legs slid up and around his, her feet practically hooking on to either of his thighs in an attempt to brace herself. She moved her hips with his, up and down, wanting to increase the pace but also enjoying where they were at too much to let it stop. Inadvertently, her hips slid just a bit to the side on one thrust, and his eyes widened. She paused, waiting to see if that hurt him, but instead it seemed to increase his pace and intensity.

An idea lit in her sex-drugged brain, she began to slide her hips from side to side with each thrust, circling around his cock. After a few thrusts he stopped, and so did she.

"No, please keep going," he moaned into her ear.

A pleased grin lighting her eyes, she gyrated her hips, over and over in a circle around him while he held still, face buried in her neck. Without warning he began to thrust again, suddenly frenzied motions that were difficult to match, although eventually she found the rhythm again. She could almost feel the tension in him as her hands swept up and down his back.

Suddenly he gave several harder thrusts and shuddered, most of his weight going to his elbows and his sweaty forehead pressed against her shoulder. Overcome with the sense of power she felt from giving that to him, Usagi's fingers slid between their bodies, aided by the slickness of their skin. She found her clit and rubbed it until a smaller explosion of pleasure rocked her, enough to take off the edge and let her slip weary arms around his shoulders as he collapsed fully onto her.

Mamoru's weight wasn't suffocating; far from it, this was maybe the most comfortable she'd ever been. Her eye slid closed as she basked in the dimming glow created by the sensations and emotions he'd lit within her. His breathing and her own began to even out, and too soon he pulled away.

Mamoru dropped a short, sweet kiss on her lips and moved off her completely. "I'll clean us up," he murmured.

Usagi watched from under heavy lids as he walked across the bed room and out the door. She heard water running, and soon he came back in. He handed her a warm, damp cloth and smiled down at her.

For some reason she blushed, but she also managed to return his smile as she cleaned herself up. He took the cloth and left the room once more. When he came back, she had barely managed to move at all.

"I'm not sure I can stand up right now," she confessed.

Mamoru slid onto the bed next to her and maneuvered her around until he could drag the blanket up over both of them.

"You don't need to if you don't want to," he said, smoothing down what she was sure was incredibly messy hair against her forehead.

She smiled and snuggled into his side.

"Well, if you insist," she muttered around a huge yawn.

He kissed the top of her head. "Sleep, Usako," was the last thing she heard as she slipped into familiar dreams.

At some point, bright sunlight hit her face. She didn't bother opening her eyes. Instead, she rolled onto her stomach and buried her head in a pillow much softer than hers, muttering about light and sleep and dancing. As she drifted back to sleep, she heard a chuckle from beside her and felt a soothing hand run down her back. She fell back to sleep with a smile on her face.

Sometime later, a delicious scent teased her into true wakefulness, although she fought hard to return to her dreams. When she cracked open her eyes, she realized she was alone in a large bed, the room around her dim. She lifted her head and caught a glimpse of wide, tall windows covered in vertical blinds and a long, dark curtain.

It took her a moment to get her bearings. Then the night before came crashing down on her, and she dropped back onto the bed with a grin. Stretching aching muscles, she wondered only a moment where Mamoru had gone before her nose answered her. Her stomach growled in protest that she wasn't wherever that aroma was coming from.

Usagi sat up, the blanket falling from her shoulders to her lap, and looked around. She didn't see the pile of their clothes on the floor anymore; in fact, her clothes were nowhere in sight at all. However, she saw a bundle of fabric stacked neatly on the nightstand beside her. She pulled the top piece toward her and found a soft blue t-shirt, several sizes too large so obviously Mamoru's. Deciding that worked well enough, she slid it over her head and let it settle around her. The other item on the table turned out to be a pair of black boxers, sadly without any roses or other decorations. She shrugged and put those on, too.

Dressed as much as she could be, she swung her legs off the bed and started to stand up. Her feet bumped into something soft directly underneath, and she looked down to find a pair of fuzzy pink slippers waiting for her. Tears welling up in her eyes at the thoughtfulness, she slid her feet into them, toes wiggling against the silky lining.

Nothing could be done about her hair, she decided, trying to finger-comb it into some semblance of order. She could tell that the buns were horribly misshapen at this point, but her stomach informed her again that she had no time to worry about that. Giving up, she strode to the door and pushed it open.

The sight of a fully dressed Mamoru greeted her across the bar that separated the kitchen and living room. His back to her as he stood over the stove with spatula in hand, he didn't seem to notice her presence until she reached the bar.

"That smells amazing."

To his credit, he didn't jump. Turning his head a little to the side, he offered her a small smile. "I hope you like eggs and toast."

"With butter and honey? Please?" She pleaded, clasping her hands under her chin as she noticed the pile of eggs on a plate next to him.

Mamoru flipped two pieces of toast out of the pan on the stove and onto two individual plates. She watched as he divided the eggs between the plates, arranging them almost as artfully as Makoto would have. That thought brought her up short.

"Omigosh!" She ran to the genkan and pulled her phone out of her purse. She winced as the number of waiting messages flashed on the screen.

"The girls are never going to let me hear the end of this," she moaned as she returned to the bar.

Mamoru looked up from drizzling honey over one of the pieces of toast. "Do you think they're worried?"

With a shake of her head, Usagi hopped onto one of the bar stools. Then she winced because she was still a little sore in delicate areas. "No, Minako saw us leaving. There's no way she kept that to herself, so I'm sure at least Makoto put two and two together when I didn't come home last night."

She folded her arms on the cool metal bar and dropped her forehead onto them. Even the click of him placing a plate next to her, followed by the sound of metal meeting metal when he laid a fork down as well, wasn't enough to bring her out of her embarrassment. She heard the sound of running water and heard the clink of glass by her head. Then he gently, hesitantly ran a hand over the top of her head, and she lifted it and offered him a smile.

"It's not that big of a deal," she tried to console herself as she pulled the plate full of food before her and picked up the sticky piece of toast. "Minako has done far, far worse. Once she disappeared for an entire week with some guy she met at a modeling shoot."

Usagi crunched into her toast and chewed, hardly taking the time she usually would have to savor the sweetness of the honey. Eyes still on her plate, she sighed after she swallowed that first bite.

"It's just, that was a one-time thing, and she barely knew him. And it was totally in character for her. This," she waved the toast between the two of them, finally finding the courage to look him in the eye, "is completely different."

He didn't deny it. Instead, the frown she'd glimpsed when she first looked up disappeared from his brow and was replaced by an all-too-familiar smirk.

"So they're going to tease you."

Glumly, she took another bite. "Mercilessly," she muttered around her food.

Mamoru began to eat as well. They both managed to put a good dent in their eggs, toast having disappeared right away, when he cleared his throat.

"So, uh, you don't see this as a one-time thing?"

Usagi froze in the middle of bringing a bite of egg to her mouth, fork suspended in mid-air. She blushed and set it down with a slight clatter, egg uneaten.

"I mean, I'd like it not to be. That is, if you want to keep...um, and not just…" The flames in her cheeks grew higher with each stammered word as she struggled, for once in her life, to say what she was feeling.

The most vulnerable look she'd ever seen entered his eyes, a cross between hope and longing. Without looking away from her eyes, he reached out and took her free hand in his.

"It's probably way too soon, but I want you to be mine, Usako. I want to wake up to more mornings like this, to see where this will take us."

A relieved grin burst from her. She squeezed his hand tightly. "I'd love that."

They both let out sighs and then laughed a little. He kept hold of her hand until they cleared the rest of the food from their plates, only a few more bites each. Then he cleared them away while she sat watching him, admiring everything from the line of his shoulders to the way his hair fell into his eyes and the very attractive curve of his ass when he bent to scrape the last bits of food into the trash can under his sink.

Then something struck her. She blamed it on a lack of coffee thus far. "Hey, you're totally dressed!"

Mamoru laughed and blushed. "I wanted to go out and get you a pair of slippers from the conbini when it opened," he admitted.

Usagi stretched out one of her feet and looked down. "They're very cute. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he sputtered, still blushing. He placed the dirty plates and pan in the dishwasher.

"Um, and my clothes?"

"I'm washing them. I hope you don't mind, but they were all wrinkled and—"

"It's fine, Mamo-chan. I'm glad I won't have to walk home in your shirt and boxers, that's all." Usagi winked at him.

"I wouldn't mind." That was so low she probably wasn't supposed to hear it. She giggled anyway.

Clean-up complete, Mamoru came around the bar and took her hand in his. Pulling her off the stool, he led her to his couch and sat, tugging her down next to him. Usagi went willingly, suddenly content to curl up next to him.

"It's already mid-morning. Do you want to get home after your clothes are dry and change?"

Usagi thought about it. "Yeah. If we're going to walk all over Azabujuban, I'll need something other than heels. That was a bad decision yesterday," she admitted, snuggling closer and laying her head on his chest. She looked out the large window onto his balcony and the cityscape beyond it.

They fell quiet, the only sounds in the apartment their breathing and the whir of machines coming from what she assumed was his bathroom. Speaking of.

Usagi reluctantly pulled away. "I'll be right back," she murmured, dropping a kiss on his cheek.

She correctly assumed the only door she hadn't been through was the bathroom. After taking care of business, she left the toilet enclosure and caught sight of herself in the vanity mirror, something she'd avoided on the way in.

Her hair stuck up out of her buns in odd places. Her cheeks were flushed and her crystal blue eyes dreamy still, much more than usual. But Mamoru hasn't teased her about her hair yet, at least! She grinned, too happy to let bedhead disturb her, and practically skipped out of the bathroom.

On the way back to the couch, she grabbed her phone. Mamoru smiled at her when she rejoined him, and she snuggled back into the same spot against his side. They fit together as perfectly as if they were made for each other, a silly notion that pleased her anyway.

Usagi spent the next half hour reading through the messages from her friends. She read the funny ones out loud to Mamoru and groaned and hid her phone from him when she got to Minako's, which she'd saved for last.

"No, really, neither of us need to see this!" she protested when he laughed at her.

He poked her shoulder. "After all her effort yesterday, you'd just ignore her?"

She gave a firm nod. "Yes. Absolutely. One hundred percent. I don't know how much you remember from before you left, but she has gotten so much worse over the years."

"I don't know. She saved the day for us last night," he said, lips suddenly against her neck just under her ear.

Usagi squirmed and giggled. "Okay, that's true. Still, I'm never telling her that! It would just prove her right. On all counts. She already thinks she's some sort of love goddess. Says she channels her inner Venus."

Usagi rolled her eyes as she finally opened Minako's messages. The first one blared out at her, and she buried her face in Mamoru's shirt.

"She says, 'I told you so!' I knew she would do that," she griped, smacking his chest lightly with her free hand when she felt it rumble under her in a laugh he barely suppressed.

The rest of the messages were along the same vein, interspersed with teasing remarks about being safe and having fun and she totally was taking credit for everything. Usagi found herself muttering while Mamoru's laughter went from silent to full-on chuckles. She poked him in the ribs a few times for that.

Finally she composed a quick message to the group chat with all her friends, assuring them she'd had a fantastic night, thanks, and to leave her alone already! Their responses were immediate, almost all laughing and winking emojis. Then she messaged Makoto privately and told her she'd be home soon to change. That started another round of teasing, of course, but she closed the app before reading too much. Tossing her phone to the side, she laid her head back down on Mamoru's shoulder and sighed, utterly content. She began to doze a little when he started running his fingers through her hair once more and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Eventually Mamoru nudged her awake and told her that her clothes were probably ready. He tried to insist on ironing them, but she just gave him a look, shook them out, and swept away to get dressed. A few minutes later, she popped back out of the bedroom, dressed in the same outfit as the previous day but still feeling refreshed.

"Do you have a brush I can borrow?"

Mamoru went into the bathroom, and she followed. He handed her a brush and then leaned against the door and watched, obviously fascinated, as she unwound her hair and began to brush it, starting at the ends and moving upwards inch by inch.

"You remind me of my cat," she told him, rolling her eyes. She laughed at the way his eyebrows shot up.

"She always watches me do my hair. I used to think she was going to attack it when I was younger, but she just watches. It's become our routine."

Mamoru snorted. "That's adorable," he admitted.

"Do you like cats?" she asked as she finished brushing one side and began to wind it back into her traditional bun-and-ponytail style.

"I do. I thought about getting one in America, but I wasn't sure I was going to stay. And I didn't want to travel overseas with an animal and have to worry."

Usagi nodded and went to work on the other side of her hair. "That's good," she said absently, thinking that if she and Mamoru moved in together eventually, at least she wouldn't have to worry that he wouldn't like Luna.

Hair finally done, she turned to Mamoru and smiled, bouncing a little in her excitement. "Ready to go?"

He nodded. "Of course."

Usagi scooped her phone off the couch as they headed for the genkan. She tucked it back into her purse then changed out pink slippers for pink heels. Looking at her new slippers next to his, she gave a little sigh of satisfaction. Then he was reaching his hand out to her. Fingers linked together, they left his apartment and set out to start this first day as a couple. When they left the building, Usagi thought the sun shone down just a bit brighter for a moment when she took his arm and he smiled down at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could end it here, but I'd like you all to have a glimpse into the background of this particular story, so I've included a special little epilogue. I hope you enjoy it!


	3. Epilogue

On the rooftop of a conbini next to a tall apartment building, two cats sat close together at the edge. The black fur of one gleamed in the sunlight from a recent brushing, contrasting with the gold crescent moon on her forehead. Red eyes narrowed in concentration, she llicked the forehead of the other where the gold crescent moon blended more easily, making him almost appear like any other white, blue-eyes cat.

Movement down below drew their attention. Red eyes and blue watched intently as a tall man with black hair led a smaller woman onto the sidewalk, her long blond hair wrapped in two buns at the top of her head and then streaming down her back in twin ponytails. It almost seemed like the black cat smirked at the woman's outfit, a respectable pink blouse and gray skirt. Hardly anything to elicit that sort of reaction, if a cat could smirk at all.

The woman latched onto the man's arm with both hands, far closer than any other couple walking the street that Saturday afternoon. The cats watched him laugh and cover her hands with one of his as she led him away. They kept an eye on the two until they disappeared out of sight.

"Finally."

The light female voice drifted in the air between the two cats. The black one lifted her head and looked up into the blue sky, toward the spot where the moon would rise in the evening.

"They're happy together now," the black cat said, satisfaction clear in her voice.

"Just the way they were meant to be. The way she wanted them to be." The white cat's response held more contemplation and a touch of resignation. He eyed the spot where the two lovers had disappeared.

"Do you think they'll ever remember?"

Luna shook her black head, only a hint of regret in her red eyes. "After all these years? I don't think so. Princess Serenity's final wish after Beryl's defeat was so strong."

"If we ever need to…"

"No other threats have appeared in all these years. Let's continue to hope that they will be able to live out their happy ending this time."

This was a conversation that had gone round and round between them, at first frequently when they realized what Usagi's final wish in the Silver Crystal had done and then perhaps once every few months. It had been almost a year since the last time Artemis tried to bring up the possibility that they might need to awaken Serenity and her Senshi again someday.

This time he didn't argue. He just sighed and turned back to let Luna continue grooming him, enjoying this time with her before they had to return to Usagi and Minako and pretend to be simple cats once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did any of you guess where I was going with this AU based on the clues I left in previous chapters, especially chapter 2? For this story, Season 1 was the end of the monsters and the chaos that followed Serenity, Endymion, and crew from the Silver Millennium. Here, for now, Usagi and Mamoru get to live out the life that Queen Serenity wished for Serenity and Endymion when she sent them forward in time.


End file.
